Laryngoscope



March 3, 1953 113.11m 2,630,114

1 LARYNGOSCOPE Filed April 27, 1950 Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .J ames B. Hart, Skaneateles, N. Y., :assigner to Welch Allyn, Inc., Auburn, N. Y., a` corporationof New York Application Asril 2v, 195o, serial No. 158,569

e claims. (o1. 12s- 11) `The present :invention relates to instruments used in the practice of laryngoscopy, and `more especially to folding laryngeal spe'culurns of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,289,226, granted July 7, 1942, to Richard von Foregger. More spelc'ically, the presen-t invention provides certain improvements' in the construction lof ilaryn; goscopcs set forth in Patent No. 2,435,400, granted February 3, 1948', to Walter K. Long.

In cor'nrnon with the instrument disclosed in this latter patent, the `present invention has for one .of its general objects the provision of a simple, stronger and otherwise improved `detach-- able hinge joint `and associated parts whereby a laryngeal blade niay be detachably `connected more easily to the usual supporting battery handle of such instruments. Y

,Afurther object of the invention is `to provide a very simple and quickly detachable hinge `joint as aforesaid, which .allows the laryngeal blade to be folded to a position lying relatively close and parallel .toA the battery 'handle or other support, and which permits `the blade to be detached easily from the handle and re-attached thereto at will while also permitting the blade to be swung to and' held in an extended position, projecting laterally from the handle as required under normal conditions of use. V

Because ofthe manipulations Aof the hands that frequently are required on the part of an operator Aengaged in ,laryngeal therapy, it is often desirable that the operators hands be free and as unobstructed as possible, `and unencumbered by the Aneed of manipulating the laryngoscope when employed for depressing the epiglottis `at the base of the tongue and for illuminating the larynx, thereby leaving the therapists hands free for the utilization of other instruments, or for performing intranasal or intra-tracheal intubation, or for' the application of medications to or examination of the posterior oral cavity, larynx,

pharynx, or elsewhere, as dictatedy by the needs of the therapy exis-ting inthe individual under treatment. A further object of the ,invention may7 be said, therefore, to ireside specifically in an improved hinge joint which will Permit the blade to be moved between folded and `extended and arranged that when the' joint is 'rotated ito the one position, the laryngeal `:blade will lie' close alongside the handle in substantially parallel folded `relation thereto, and when rotatedY to .ain-'- other position, the blade will be extended to' its normal position of with the' blade projecting from tl-ie handle at approximately a right angle thereto.

A `stil-l fdr-'ther object of the' invention is to provide improved detachable connection be#l tween the laryngeal blade'and the handle of the instrument, the connection having the form of .a rotatable joint of the' typeabove'referre'd' toaand serving to permit quick and easy detachment of the blade from the handle and interchange of bladesof diiterent sizes' and/or types.

A still yfurther `obie'c'zt of the invention to' provide an improved detachable laryngeal blade"` having a head that `is attacha'ble to and detachable from ar supportard provided with irhprovedt and simplified locking means for' rele'as'ably lock--J ing the blade to the support'.

Further objects of the "invention Vwill become apparent as' the description proceeds, and the features of rnovelty willjbe pointed out in pare tioularityV in' the appended claims.

The inventionr will 'be understood Irr'e' par-` t'icularly from the accompanying drawing, ini which:

Figure l is' a sideL elevation of the iin-prov'edl device of the presentY invention, showing inA lines `the laryngeal blade t extended opera position, and in broken lines' `the bladeturned into folded inoperative position closely adjacent to and paralleling the-handle of the devic'e VFigure 2` is a vertical section ta-kenon` th line 2-"2 of Figure l, looking'V the direction of the arrows; y

AFigure 3' 'is la :vertical sectional View taken ,ont the line 3-=3' of 2, lbking in 'the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view tlen* on molino :tf- 4l of Figure .3, looking m the* direcnon of the arrows; Q

Figure. 5 is an enlarged frag'metary''sectional view snowing thojoint temeon the handle portion of `the instrument and the laryngeal blade; with Athe joint nelnbes'in-'disassembled relation; and

.Figui-o s-is o perspective `dotati viewv of o; ioni: ing plunger' employed forhoiding the joint mem: bers of Figure' 5' in selective rotativo positions; Referring more partiouiany to .the drawings; the improved construction of the invention, as shown in the 111ustranvonomeouimont thereof shown therein, comprises a hollow, cylindrical body or handle A, a joint section B, a blade head C and a blade D. These parts will be described in detail hereinafter.

The handle member A comprises a cylindrical battery case I provided with a cap 2 detachably connected to its lower end, and which, on detachment of the cap, permits removal and replacement of dry cells employed for illumination of light 3 carried by the laryngeal blade D, the said dry cells not being shown on the drawings. The handle member A also includes a solid head member or top closure member t that is secured to the battery case I by screws 5 extending through the tubular housing 3 of the battery case I, the end of the housing 6 preferably abutting against an annular shoulder 'i provided on the closure member 4.

Surmounting the closure member 4 and suitably secured thereto by instrumentalities which will be described hereinafter is the joint section B which carries the blade head C in which the laryngeal blade D is mounted permanently in any desired manner.

The handle closure member 4 is provided at its upper end with an inclined face 8 lying in a plane disposed at an angle of substantially 45 relative to the central axis of the handle member A, so that on movement of the laryngeal blade D to its extended operative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, it will project laterally from the handle A at substantially right angles thereto. The joint section B also is provided with an inclined bottom face 8 which engages and registers with the inclined face B of the handle closure member 4, and therefore is inclined at an angle of 45 to the central axis of the handle member A.

Recessed in the inclined face 8 of the handle closure member 4 is a spring-pressed detent or latch member 9, this detent preferably having the form of a pin IE! extended downwardly into a recess I I in the top of the handle closure member 4. The latch member 3 also is provided with an enlarged portion I2 which serves to guide the pin in a movement endways from a position normally projecting somewhat beycnd the upper inclined face 8 of the handle closure member 4 to a retracted position. As will be seen from the drawing, the detent or latch member 9 when in its extended position enters one of the two blind recesses II', II", provided in the inclined face 8 of the joint section B, these recesses II', II" being diametrically disposed relative to each other, so that when the detent 9 is extended into the recess II' the blade head C and blade D are locked with the blade extended in horizontal position at right angles to the long axis of the handle member A, whereas when the blade is turned 180 into folded inoperative position, the detent 9 will enter the recess II", to secure the blade in inoperative position.

It will be seen from the drawings that a coil spring I3 is disposed within the recess I I, one end of the spring seating against the bottom of the recess, and the opposite end of the spring seating against the bottom of the pin. The pin I Il is actuated against the spring I3 by manual pres- Sure exerted against a plunger screw button I 4 that enters the lrecess II through a slot I5 provided in the handle closure member 4 longitudinally thereof and which registers with the recess II. The threaded shank I4 of the plunger button I4 enters internally threaded hole I5' in the body I2 of the detent 9.

` In order to permit the joint member B to swivel or pivot on the handle closure member 4, the bottom face 8 of the joint section B is counter-bored as is indicated at I5, the resulting bored hole being threaded internally to receive a pivot screw bushing I'I in which is inserted head I8 of a pivot screw I9, this bushing I'I securely holding the pivot screw t9 in place, yet permitting this screw to rotate smoothly and easily.

The handle closure member 4 is throughdrilled and counter-bored as is indicated at 2G, the resulting hole being internally threaded at 2G to receive the threaded shank 2I of the pivot screw I9, this shank 2i being of smaller diameter than the remainder of the pivot screw and having its end slotted as is indicated at 22 for receiving a screw driver. The hole 20 registers with the bored hole Iii, as will be clear from the drawings, so that by inserting a screw driver through the lower end of the hole 2Q into the slot 22 of the pivot screw, the latter may be turned into the handle closure member 4 until annular shoulder 23 bears against the bottom 24 of the top enlarged portion 25 of counter-bored hole 20 that corresponds with the large, unthreaded cylindrical portion 25 of the pivot screw IS, in such a manner as to lock the jcint section Bin place and yet maintain suiiicient clearance between the inclined faces 8 and S to permit relative swiveling between the joint section B and the handle closure member The joint section B carries the blade-head member C, in which the laryngeal blade VD is mounted permanently. The blade-head member C is preferably attached removably to the joint section B by means of dove-tail ways 2l and is locked by a set-screw 28 inserted in a threaded hole provided therefor in the joint section B and bears against the dove-tail connection 21', this latter permitting detachment of the blade head C upon release of the set-screw 28 so that the blade head C and blade D may be removed when desired for sterilization of the blade or replacement thereof with another blade.

The light 3 carried by the blade D is energized through leads not shown which supply current from the dry cells (not shown) disposed in the;

with the Vlight 3 preferably automatically energized when the blade D assumes its extendedv operative position, and automatically cle-energized as the blade D is moved towards its folded or inoperative position. The closure cap 2 is 551 threaded on the tubular housing 5 as is indicated From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the handle portion A of the present device is a composite structure, it being composed of the hollow battery receptacle I defined by tubular casing 6 that is closed at its lower end by the cap 2 threadedly mounted onr the casing B and closed at its other end by the handle closure member :t which forms a closure for the battery receptacle i and also denes a mounting on which the joint section B and blade head C are carried.

It will also be'apparent from the foregoing description that structural details of the instrument may be varied in various ways readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains without departing from the inventive concept; and accordingly it will be understood that it is intended and desired to embrace within the scope lof the invention such modifications and changes as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses as donned by the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is:

1. An instrument of the class described, comprising a supporting handle having a iiat, linclined face on one end thereof, a laryngeal blade,` a joint section secured to the said blade and having a iiat, inclined face corresponding to the' nat, inclined` face on the handle, means pivotally interconnecting the handle and joint section with the respective inclined faces in rotative abutting engagement with eachother, whereby rotation of `the blade and joint section relative to the handle causes the blade to assume a folded 'position substantially parallel toand adj acent to the handle, and on rotation of the blade and joint' section to another Aposition relative to the handle, the blade will assume a position projecting from the handle substantially Jlaterally therefrom, the said joint member and the handle having opposed counterbores, and a swivel member mounted in the counterbores and extending through the respective `iiat, inclined faces, said swivel member having a head member secured in one of the lcounterbores` and ash-ank portion secured in the opposed ccunterbore, and means on said shank portion adapted to be engaged by a manipulating tool, the counterbore in which said shank portion 'is secured being open for providing access to a manipulating tool for the swivel inember for effecting detachment of said shank from the last-mentioned counterbore to allow selective assembly or disassembly of the handle and the joint section relative to each other.

2. An instrument of the class described, comprising a supporting handle having a flat, inclined face on one end thereof, a laryngeal blade, a joint section secured to the said blade and having a flat, inclined face corresponding to the flat, inclined face on the handle, means pivotally interconnecting the handle and joint section with the respective inclined faces in rotative abutting engagement with each other, whereby rotation of the blade and joint section relative to the handle will cause the blade to assume a folded position substantially parallel and adjacent to the handle, and on rotation of the blade and joint section to another position relative to the handle, the blade will assume a position projecting from the handle substantially laterally therefrom, the said joint member and the handle respectively having opposed coaxial counterbores, a bushing threadedly mounted in one of said counterbores, and a swivel member mounted in the counterbores, the said swivel member having a head retained by the said bushing and a shank projecting from the head and extending through the respective fiat faces into the opposed counterbore, the said shank having a portion thereof seated in a portion of the last-mentioned counterbore and a further portion threadedly mounted in another portion of the last-mentioned counterbore.

3. An instrument as claimed in claim 2, in which the threadedly mounted portion of the shank of the swivel member is provided with a siotted end for receiving a manipulating tool for rotating the swivel member, and the counterbore receiving the threaded portion of the shank of the swivel member forms an opening allowing access of a manipulating tool for effecting selective assembly and disassembly of the handle and the joint section.

4. An instrument of the class described, comprising a Vsupporting handle-*having a dat. inclined face on one end thereof, a laryngeal blade,y a joint section secured to the said blade and hav'- ing a flat, inclined face corresponding to the flat, inclined face on the lfiandle,V means `pivot-f ally interconnecting the handle and the joint section with the respective inclined faces rotative abutting engagement `each other, whereby rotation of the blade and joint section relative `tothe handle causes'lthe 'blade' to assume' a folded position substantially parallel andadjacent to the handle, and on rotation of lthe bladey and joint `section to another position relative to the handle, 'the blade w-i-ll assume a position projecting from the-handle substantially laterally therefrom, one of the said nat, 'inclined faces having a seating `recess therein, the :other of the flat, inclined faces having a pair of spaced recesses therein adapted itc =be rotated respectively' -into registry with 'the seating recess, retractable locking 4means seated the seating recess and adapted to extend through. the flat, inclined face into the registering recess in the corresponding abutting flat, inclined face, for releasablyand` positively securing the handle and joint section against relative rotation, and means connected with retractable locking means for retraeting the locking means until' the :handle and joint section become released for rotation therebetween.

5. An instrument of the class described, compricing a supporting handle having a flat', `in clined face on one end thereof, a laryngeal blade, a joint section secured to the said blade, means releasably locking together the said head and joint section, the said joint section having a fiat, inclined face corresponding to the flat, inclined face on the handle, means pivotally interconnecting the handle and the joint section with the respective inclined faces in rotative abutting engagement with each other, whereby rotation of the blade and joint section relative to the handle causes the blade to assume a folded position substantially parallel and adjacent to the handle, and on rotation of the blade and joint section to another position relative to the handle, the blade will assume a position projecting from the handle substantially laterally therefrom, releasable locking means extending through the respective inclined abutting faces for positively locking the handle and the joint member in selected positions of rotation for securing the blade in a selected position of adjustment relative to the handle, and manually operable means carried by said releasable locking means for releasing the same.

6. An instrument of the class described, comprising a supporting handle having a fiat, inclined face on one end thereof, a laryngeal blade, a joint section secured to the said blade and having a flat, inclined face corresponding to the fiat, in clined face on the handle, means pivotally interconnecting the handle and the joint section with the respective inclined faces in rotative abutting engagement with each other, whereby rotation of the blade and joint section relative tothe handle causes the blade to assume a folded. position substantially parallel and adjacent to the handle, and on rotation of the blade and joint section to another position relative to the handle, the blade will assume a position projecting from the handle substantially laterally therefrom, the fiat, inclined face of the handle having a recess therein, the corresponding flat, inclined face of the joint section having diametrically spaced re cesses adapted to be rotated` selectively into registry with the recess in the handle, retractable plunger locking means seated in the handle recess and extended through the recess and flat, inclined face of the handle and the corresponding flat, inclined face of the joint section and into the registering recess therein, said plunger locking means releasably locking together the handle and the joint section for securing the blade in selected position, and plunger-actuating means extending laterally through the handle for retracting the locking means until the handle and joint section are released for relative rotation therebetween for shifting the blade between folded and extended positions.

'7. A rotary joint of the class described, comprising a pair of coacting joint members each having a correspondingly inclined face seating upon the other and rotatively engaged therewith, and a pivotal connecting member extendingr through the inclined faces of the joint members aforesaid, said joint members each having a counterbore in axial alignment with each other, said connecting member being rotatably mounted in the counterbore of one of said joint members and having a portion relatively xedly connected tothe other joint member in its counterbore, and means securing said connecting member in the counterbore of the first-mentioned joint member against displacement therefrom.

8. A rotary joint as dened in claim 7, wherein the xedly connected end of said pivotal connecting member is threadedly engaged in its respective joint member and is provided with means adapted to be engaged by a manipulating tool, the counterbore of said latter joint member being extended completely therethrough and aiTording access for a manipulating tool to said pivotal connecting member for eiecting engagement and disengagement of the screw threads. 9. A rotary joint as dened in claim 7, wherein one of said joint member is provided with a retractable spring pressed detent projecting through the inclined faces of said joint members, and the other joint member is provided with a plurality of sockets into which said detent is selectively adapted to project so as to lock said joint members in a selected position relative to each other, said detent having manually operable retracting means carried thereby and projecting therefrom to the exterior of said joint.

JAMES B. HART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Long M Feb. 3, 1948 

